Saturday, April 20, 2024

500 armed paramilitary sent to Chitimukulu’s palace intimidating villagers

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The Bemba traditional leaders have accused President Sata of not telling Zambians the truth about his differences with Henry Sosala, the current Chief Chitimukulu Kanyanta Manga II.

They said it was clear that the Head of State had personal differences with the Mwine Lubemba but opted to punish the Bemba people by interfering in the traditional installation.

The chiefs also complained about the presence of uniformed paramilitary police who have occupied the place for the Chitimukulu designate.
They said the officers spoken to revealed they had instructions not to leave the palace until issues surrounding Sosala’s installation were resolved.

[pullquote]There is no war here and we wondered why the police are saying they were sent to bring law and order by the President[/pullquote]

“The presence of the police is scaring villagers including the workers at the palace. No one can go there and villagers tasked to work on palace have also abandoned the place due to fear. From the look of things the Head of State had his own mission in the chiefdom but we want to assure bemba’s that we have a Mwine Lubemba and all the procedure has been followed and we also challenge President Sata to tell the nation the truth about him and the Chitimukulu.

“There is no war here and we wondered why the police are saying they were sent to bring law and order by the President.”
The Bemba Royal Establishment was supposed to hold the public enthronement ceremony for the paramount chief after he had been installed as the Mwine Lubemba but cancelled the celebration after the State unleashed 500 paramilitary police to interfere with the ceremony.

Meanwhile the traditional leaders have confirmed that the Head of State had refused to withdraw over 500 armed paramilitary police officers stationed in Kasama district and at the Chitimukulu palace until the cancelled meeting took place.

President Michael Sata has cancelled a meeting with the Bashilubemba after they openly told him through his emissaries that they would not rescind their decision on the installation of Henry Kanyanta Sosala as the rightful heir to the Chitimukulu throne.
The Bemba chiefs revealed to the Daily Nation that the Head of State had sent four senior lawyers among them state counsels to the chiefdom to seek an audience with Bashilubemba over the acrimony created by government over the installation of the Chitimukulu.

They said President Sata sought audience with the Bashilubemba through the lawyers he had sent to Kasama last week in an effort to resolve the issues surrounding the installation of Henry Sosala as Paramount Chief Chitimukulu.
They said, however, that they were not sure why President Sata had requested to meet them when they had already installed the Mwine Lubemba.

The meeting which was scheduled to take place this Friday has been cancelled indefinitely.

“We can confirm to you that last week President Sata sent four senior lawyers some of whom are state counsels if not all to meet bashilubemba. These people said the President wanted to meet the Bashilubemba and the meeting was supposed to take place this Friday but could not tell us the agenda for the meeting. But as far as the Bashilubemba are concerned, we already have a paramount chief and we do not know what that meeting is all about,” they said.

[Zambia Daily Nation]

88 COMMENTS

    • hey!!!!!!…where is Nostradamus, ,,cindy, ,,Soulosi and all other interested Bemba on this blog, i cant hold this info. I have just off the phone from Zambia,,, i hear Sata has hand pick tongas, lozis and afew kavuales paramilitaries with strict instruction go and sort scrape out the chitimukulu without fail!!!
      Now Sata doesnt trust bemba speaking paramilitaries because there are chitimukulu`s subjects… and he doesnt trust easterners because they will go there and do chimbuya

    • Honestly, those security forces could be better used to curb crime in the big cities. Does this matter really warrant deployment of a battalion as though the nation is at war, when we are dealing with a subject of difference of opinion?

    • UPDATE!!
      The chitimukulu and bashilubemba captured by the brutal combined lozi,tonga and luvaule paramilitary forces,,, stay put for more data

    • Evidence about Kabimba and his Sudanese counterpart signing a pact to work together and train militia is slowly emerging.

      Check ZWD for details.

    • Is this the picture captured. So, if the current govt is charged of crimes against humanity and requested for extradition would not be enough evidence with these rocket launchers?
      500 in the village. I can imagine the stress children are subjected to.

    • title=”Don’t kutina Bashi Lubemba”>Some jobs are useless. All this bunch of policemen being convinced by one person to go and intimidate peaceful villagers because of some personal misunderstanding. Bashi lubemba its time to test those new missiles to state house, Kubadabwisha ba Sata mwafika kumacha na sacha ya Tortoise. Katele can help if you’re not sure. Please just pray for our dear President that the Holy Spirit may soften his heart and give him more wisdom and understanding.

    • @Ndobo, why you dream that Police can touch Sosala? What has Sosala done? You think GBM & Eric Chimese and their military will watch with naked eyes, that Sata misuse his power.

    • It is not a good idea to send officer to guard a place which is already enjoying peace. By the way, we all know Police Officer are capable of doing, this it will mean that by the end of their service that side alot of innocent school going girls will have pregnant since the officer has very little to do that side.

  1. Dialogue should work and not force. Power belongs to the people. Why has the President refused to accept the decision of the Bemba council?

    • The President is privy to certain information. Obviously he has been advised that Sosala is a threat to the security of the nation. There’s no way the government can send 500 paras if this were not a threat. The ShiLubemba should understand that Zambia is a peaceful nation. They should respect the President.

    • Sepo, just enjoy your diplomatic check out there in Europe whilst your Dictator is still standing upright. This is just a phase and it shall soon pass. Ubupuba bwachila!

  2. Is Sata becoming President Assad? Why is he sending fighting men and women to people who have installed their own traditional leader?

    One hopes that one day the Zambian Security personnel will wake up to know that their duty is to protect all innocent Zambians and question the orders by the President. Egyptian soldiers did it.

    President Sata should let traditional leaders to do their work while he also does his. At the moment he is not.

    • Sepo, you are a disgrace if you are not seeing the fury and frustration of the Zambians. Yes, Sata will rule for now but the people of Zambia including Henry Kanyanta Sosala – Chitimukulu Kanyanta Manga II will have the last laugh come 2016. We the Bemba people will speak loudly then! Chi political appointee iwee!

  3. Sata is a bully who does not take kindly to being challenged. Having said that, he has failed to sort out the internal wrangles in his party but he is quick to unleash the state machinery on the poor defenceless people.

    • What a poor leader Sata is. I agree with you @Mutale that Sata has failed to control and resolve squabbles within PF and decides to flex his muscles in issues that are of a traditional nature and non violent. Even PF supporters should find this wierd. There is more to this than what the general public is being let in on.

  4. If i was kanyata would decline the position than have all these confrontations. these are earthly positions which will pass away SATA will leave the office so is the chitimukulu why fight sure.

    Jesus come quickly before ……………………………………….

    • Why should SATA win this war when it is he SATA that is wrong and interfering in Traditional issues he least know anything about.

      How can a mwachusa from Tanzania enthrone a mwachusa to lead Bemba’s??? How???

  5. Bembas, wat do ur traditional say? Do u select a chief or a chief is knwn from birth such that politics comes into play. Politicians are selfih pipo! Emulate Ngoni’s where a Chief is known from birth! Ababemba mulifipuba or mashilu! Atase!

  6. Sata is totally insane. He is also a coward using the presidency to settle personal scores. The man has no balls. He is a liar and morally bankrupt. He is disgrace, a cancer that needs to eradicated before he causes irreparable damage to the country. Just like all bad leaders eg Mobutu, Idi Amin, Abacha, Gadaffi, Chiluba etc deserves a bad ending and it’s coming soon. We ll dance and celebrate the day he will be no more. Please Lord shorten the time. Come and remove the Satan occupying State House and give the country a genuine leader who will move the country forward. Shove Sata in the hottest side of hell where he deserves.

    • Now I understand why RB wanted to build another state house!
      Plot one is haunted. Imagine all presidents getting mad with power?

  7. Lol! First the so called security forces were sent to Bulozi. And people cheered! Now they are in Lubemba! Will the same people be cheering, I wonder?

    • @Cindy, they were cheering for the heavy handedness of the PF government! If you disagree with Sata over an issue then he will send you his police and army! And from your response it seems its alright as long as it does not involve “your people”!

    • @ sepo,
      i dont agree with your statement sad to read your post especially “your people” line which tells me abit of who you are so i wont even go further you will not get my point, i however agree with some of your posts. Lets embarce each other and forget about what tribe or were our grand parents descended from, iam me and with me everyone is the same i wish we all looked at things from that perspective, the president is taking a wrong path we all agree on that so lets leave comparing and tribe out of it.

  8. What’s wrong with Mr President kanshi? Whether Sosala bonked her Excellence is another issue as .. Leave the Bemba Kingdom alone.

    • Wise words.You have spoken,even on the battle front an AK47 Rifle bullet did not choose during the liberation struggle for our neighbouring Countries ,who was Bemba Luvale,Kaonde,Tonga,Ushi,Namwanga,Lozi,Lenje etc .All these tribes sacrificed their precious lives and the peace we are enjoying today.

  9. am not bemba but this is getting irritating. Zambians should not be surprised when government regardless pf, mmd,upnd, unip or what so ever takes interest in who becomes chief, you allowed grz to be funding these guys for so long. yes they have a say on their investment. if people want this not to happen, change the faken lawz, you will see how your tuma chiefs will be broke.

    • i agree with# 9 sepo, ubulezi wahesu, grz sent outdated aircrafts flying all over the villages scaring the hell out of the people in mongu searching for linyungandambo and many on this blog said it was awesome, now why are they crying, baroteland is still even taday fully occupied by starving Zambian forces

    • @cindy
      Bo Cindy, the president said the chitimukulu is a threat to national security… and threatening national security is treasonable,,, therefore the chitimukulu and bashilubemba should be arrested!!!

  10. @Them. Good observation indeed. In most chiefdoms and kingdoms the heir is known for generations. For instance, I am the 20th heir to the nkosi wa ma nkosi Mpezeni. I will never get to be one but in case something happens to the 19 before me then I get to be considered. How does it work with Bembas? Do you decide after the current chief dies?

  11. The Zambian devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Surrounding innocent villagers with 500 heavily armed paramilitaries is not right. Meanwhile his brain-washed admirers are chanting ‘lekeni Sata ateke’.

  12. Wapya Munzi. Wina azalila and the ending will be disastrous for the region if not the whole country. Govt should not have interfered in the first place. To be seen to be humble would sound demeaning for the head of state but this is what he should do actually to cease fire. I can fore see blood shed and this is the only region not has not seen “blood” in a long time. But i think this time around Sata aitaya.

  13. Here lies hypocrisy of Bembas as part of Zambians. Eastern province we have a saying that “Mbalame yo khala pa uta si ipheka”, meaning that an object which is meant to cause harm is impotent in the hands of a peaceful person. Recently Zambians have lamented over the legality of Lombe Chibesakunda continue to act as chief justice in Zambia. Bemba lawyers lobbied almost in a tribal fashion to defend her from LAZ legal challenge. The same Bemba lawyers are today absent to defend their own values as Bemba people through Bashilubamba. What a conscious less people they are.

    • Mwanena amudala kaya kaphena amama!!! Bati mwanena zoona. Tikohlangako tiyala. Nakatolika nabeve balizii mwati balimo muZambia kaphena bacaya ‘mass exodus’ yamubaibo.

    • Totally out of line and very tribal contribution, if anything Bemba haunts you then you will swallow more bitter pills….I.D.I.O.T

  14. I truly sympathize with our traditional leaders and the King of the Bembas, the amount of intimidation and the fear they are being forced to be under due to this reckless action by the government/Presidency. It further leaves me very baffled that barely a week ago we had a blood bath, carnage really ending in the loss of life of some youth, but the President and his government stood by without unleashing a similar paramilitary force to effectively prevent the violence that erupted. If the 500 figure is accurate, my conservative estimate is that poor Zambian tax payers will be paying each officer at least K70 per day, multiply by 500= K35000 per day, if we include transport and other costs that figure will keep rising. Meaning our useless President is willing to waste our money for nothing.

    • I totally agree. Why is the Government spending all this money just to satisfy someone’s ego? If Bembas have agreed on who should be their Chitimukulu, why is anyone interested in removing their chief? This is not right!

  15. this chiefdom junk irritates me….these are nothing but small dictators. I look forward to a day when the president or parliament will abolish this nonsense of chiefdoms out of our map, like Tanzania has done.

    • And the winner is ………………………………………………..

      You guessed right

      Muchinga province, first son of the Sata Republic

  16. Chaona BRE chapita mawa chili pa BTC.

    Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? (Psalms 94:8 KJV)

  17. This is what happens when one person has too much power. How can one person be doing this? In Nakonde cattle hustlers from Tanzania come in with impunity and steal cattle from the hardworking Zambians and there’s no paramilitary officer to protect them and yet we hear of 500 officers sent to Malole (Kasama) to intimidate one Chitimukulu and a handful of bashilubemba just because of someone’s ego and personal vendetta?(shaking head)
    And LT please bring us the real pictures from Malole and the palace. Anyone in Kasama please help LT with some pictures.

    • Those paramilitaries didnot go there to intimidate,,, they went there to capture the chitimukulu,, and the chitimukulu and bashilubemba have been captured!!!

  18. “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s true character, give him power” … US President Abraham Lincoln.

    Need I say more? No, the test results speaks volumes about Sata. Even his most ardent blind supporters are tired and beginning to wake up to reality.

  19. I’m Bemba will royal blood, the comments from people does not reflect on the ground as per say. The missing understanding between Mwine Lubemba does not mean people will not vote for Sata or PF. There are a number of factors that people who does not hail from Kasama are failing to understand. The people around Kasama urban area may even love Lwaluo, mutale Mwamba, Kasama village, Kapoka chitamba and chisanga near Tazara are happy with Sata because most of their lands were sold by Mwene Lubemba when he was senior chief Mwamba. The other part is bashilubemba their head is sub chief Chimba related to Chanda chimba the third the one who demonised Sata through his stand up Zambia. The battle as three possible four folds. GeoPolitics, social, cultural and patronage . The solution is there

    • Sorry for my English. People in those areas I mentioned feel happy. Secondly chief CHief is fighting for his son Chanda Chimba the third to prove he is powerful. Generally all these will pass with good result. The late Mwine Lubemba was MMD hard core supporter but the people voted for PF in Malole. He campaigned for MMD . The other thing is those the Bemba would not want chief nkula to be come chitimumulu as this is not in line with hereditary nature when there are royal family closer. For example chitimukulu Kanyanta manga bwalya Chisupa ichatwa chimo was born alone and after his death they have to find someone within the royal family close to him and that was chief Mwamba. Historically many have refused to go to become senior chief nkula as this disadvantage them from becoming chiti

    • @Pafwenamwine,
      Thank you for that information wow! that feels in alot of blanks most of us dont know why there is so much tension, am guessing it is personal if i understand you correctly especially the relationship part of Chimba the Third. Your information has even made me less alarmed as i now have the insight of might the biggest issue might be keep updating us.
      LT involve people like Pafwa? Your reporting is half baked thats why you get strange and shallow comments, please start digging deeper? Oh i forgot you are journalists always twisting storries.
      By the way Pafwa what does your name mean? I love history of the worlds and would be very happy to learn more about Zambian traditions can you share some on LT? Dont worry about your English it’s the information that is important.

    • Are you in Kasama? These names you’ve mentioned remind me of Kasama although I can’t pin point (in my head) exactly where most of them are located as I didn’t spend much time there but all the same miss you Kasama. XO XO from Washington DC.

  20. Those militias are what must have been sent to arrest those PF thugs who have been matching with coffins and killing inocent people. Those are the danger to the peace and law of the this nation, not at the palace!

  21. Pafwenamwine, what research did you do to come to the conclusion that people in those areas are happy? Did you do a sample population and what type of questions did you ask them? Was it a random sample? You seem to be abroad so which dates were you in Zambia to assess people’s opinions in these areas? If you did not do a scientific research to come to such a deduction then your conclusions are just in your head and we shall dismiss them with the contempt they deserve. Overall I like your analysis of the cause of the problem and your explanation of the lineage in this Kingdom.

  22. Pafwenamwine your long anology does not make sense and waste of time to read
    lots of assumptions with no proof, this is not a good move,just tell BaBa Sata he nogo win this but hurt himself fighting people who voted for him, inciting them to hate him even more,come 2016 they will be thinking of voting for someone-else .

  23. Henry Sosala afyelwe ku mfumu, Sata ni kwa lata nikwa salati, Sosala is confirmed as Chitimukulu Kanyanta Manga II. Ku buLuba eko ba fumine MbuywaMwambwa na Mwambwa ku tali, elyo nga ba ShiluBamba ba sonta ati uyu nomba e Chitimukulu, chimo cine fye nga abaLozi ba twala umuntu ku Makono, tapali nangu umo who can remove that person from the throne, only god and not SataN.

  24. Henry Sosala afyelwe ku mfumu, Sata ni kwa lata nikwa salati, Sosala is confirmed as Chitimukulu Kanyanta Manga II. Ku buLuba eko ba fumine MbuywaMwambwa na Mwamba ku tali, elyo nga ba ShiluBamba ba sonta ati uyu nomba e Chitimukulu, chimo cine fye nga abaLozi ba twala umuntu ku Makono, tapali nangu umo who can remove that person from the throne, only god and not SataN.

  25. China I like the ‘he nogo win’ phrase. I listen to a lot of West African music by the King of Afro Beat – Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Clearly Fela was ahead of his time.

  26. First they came for the Communists, but I was not . Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. … And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. …. Now they ‘ve come for me, and there’s no one to speak out for me.

    • Indeed
      They came for the Barotse, I chose to look away
      They are coming for Bemba, I choose to look away
      And Tomorrow …
      They will come for me
      There will be no Barotse or Bemba to stand for me
      And …
      I shall be finished

  27. 2010 : THE PF GOVERNMENT WAS NOT IN POWER
    THEN WHEN THE HIGH COURT ISSUED THE
    FOLLOWING JUDGEMENT:

    “THE Lusaka High Court has issued a restraining order against paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba people of Northern Province and others not to interfere with the chieftaincy of chief Chewe Kamponge IV……

    The judgement was issued against Chileshe Yulaya Mumba, also known as chief Chewe Kamponge IV, Acting Chief Chitimukulu – Ackson Mwango Chilufya Mwamba, as the first defendant, Mutale Chisanga Ng’andu, also known as Kapolyo Yusufu, as the second and the Attorney General as the third defendant….”

    CAN SOMEONE EDUCATE ME ON THIS UNENDING SAGA?
    WHAT HAS JUST BEEN GOING ON OUT THERE?

  28. You bloggers who claim that Sata honours the principles of democracy, where do you put him in this context ? Sata is a great danger to democracy and peace because right now nobody knows his hidden agenda for the chaos he has caused with Bashilubemba and his rejection of Sosala as Chitimukulu. Sata is a disaster to Zambia – watch the space.

  29. What Sata is doing to the Bembas and the Bemba king makers, he has already to the Barotse people. Irony is when the Barotse cry foul, wolf … it is deemed tribalism, secession, treason and what not. Truth is Sata has no business in chiefs’ affairs. The best Govt can do is to facilitate talks under the auspices of of the Church, if there are any succession disputes. But in this case the Bashilubemba are united in their choice of the man who should lead them. Where is the problem? Is the problem Muchinga Province, in its implicit objective of being the leader of Zambia.

  30. It is not a good idea to send officer to guard a place which is already enjoying peace. By the way, we all know Police Officer are capable of doing, this it will mean that by the end of their service that side alot of innocent school going girls will have pregnant since the officer has very little to do that side.

  31. The words of Mwine Lubemba still ring in my ears, “Biblical Samson’s final plot against his enemy worked very well, save for one oversight: both the conqueror and the vanquished were extinguished”. The use of the coercive apparatus will not help in this matter, it may lead to self destruction . The other chiefdoms are watching.

  32. for Christ sake our president why do you fail to send those men when your cadres crush and kill each other……you decide to send them to people having peace,why? You must be have personal interest in this issue sir,do you want them to put your relative?

  33. Do chiefs have powers? Can they act separately from government? Can a chief order a government wing to do something? Are chiefs something we keep to display that we European copycat nations haven’t abandoned our traditions? Realistically do they have a future? What do chiefs do for their people? Are we waiting for chiefdoms to silently die?

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